Alejandro Davidovich, “a wild colt” on the rise

The tennis world is hallucinating at the devastating disruption of Carlos Alcarazwho became the youngest No. 1 in history after winning at 19 years old US Open’2022. Each player has their cooking time and, in that sense, Alexander Davidovich23 years old and 38th in the ranking, is another of the young Spaniards with the greatest potential, who has been targeted since his junior title in Wimbledon’2017.

His case is interesting because he had to calm down a volcanic character in order not to stay on the road. “I’m crazy as a chota”, Davidovich himself once said between laughs. He was put on track by Jorge Aguirre, his coach since he was 11 years old.

“Álex is a wild colt, ever since he was a boy with a rather complex character. He is not your usual quiet and obedient 12-year-old boy. He has always respected me, but he is a rebellious boy which is quite anti-establishment. I saw and saw the strength of a top tennis player in him, whose anger helped him to a point, but ultimately, anger has an expiration date. I have always seen him willing to work, the most difficult thing was how to help his personality to better manage that anger that only serves him if he channels it well”, explained Aguirre.

The man from Malaga rose to prominence last year when he lost in the second round Novak Djokovicon the way to his first and, for the moment, only final, in the Monte Carlo Masters 1,000where he stopped him Stefanos Tsitsipas. On Tuesday, he won a match in Godó’s main draw for the first time, against Thomas Etcheverry (6-3, 6-3), and that Thursday will be measured in the eighth through Emil Ruusuvuori with several possible rooms with Alcaraz on the horizon.

“Álex is a wild colt, but he asks to be tamed because he wants to do things right, he has a winning gene,” said Aguirre. “Now the work is easier because he has a better predisposition and, like when he makes a mistake, he quickly corrects it. He wants to be an all-around player and not an intermittent person. We are looking for it to have more and more continuity,” said the coach.

“Still young, in the semifinals of Nike Tour in Sevillestarted amazingly against Alex De Minaur. He was 4-0, but he missed a first ball and started to say: ‘My game is fun!’ He lost 7-5 and 7-5. That day I said to myself: ‘Jorgito, we have work here’”, he recalls.

“Capturing Álex was a personal challenge, the march was for me. Having that boy with a demonic middle ground and getting a good player from there was a strong challenge, and I did it. Two and half a month after that match against De Miñaur, Álex was champion of Spain fry”, he recalled.

“With his personality, it is more difficult to achieve what he has achieved, that’s why I appreciate him so much. My feeling and your pride. I don’t know how many children with their poverty end up here”, Jorge asked himself.

to the maximum

“If when I was against everyone, I always thought that Álex was a top player, now that the shadows are starting to disappear I won’t put a ceiling on him and I don’t see any ceiling on him. The better player he is, everything will go in proportion, top-20, top-10. We have to do the maximum, there is a lot of room for improvement and the future will tell us. Right now he has no roof. He is not the most regular tennis player, but he is improving every time and his average level is already higher”, concluded Aguirre.